Bridged arc antenna for an electronic device and electronic device incorporating the same

ABSTRACT

An electronic device has an electronics housing, a fixed portion coupled to the electronics housing, and a moveable portion. The moveable portion is retractably coupled to the fixed portion and adapted for detachable coupling to an object to thereby couple the electronic device to the object. Alternatively, an electronic device has an electronics housing, a fixed portion coupled to the electronics housing at a first point, and a moveable portion. The moveable portion is moveably coupled to the electronics housing at a second point and adapted for detachable coupling to an object to thereby couple the electronic device to the object.

PRIORITY REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of and incorporates by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/900,770, entitled “Bridged arc antenna,” filed on Feb. 12, 2007, by inventor Franklin F K Chen.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to electronics, and more particularly, but not exclusively, provides a two-part mechanism with an embedded antenna or for integration with an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, global positioning satellite (GPS) device, personal digital assistant (PDA) or radio.

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices, such as mobile phones, are easily lost as they are small and are often placed in pockets or purses where they are not secured or tethered. Accordingly, the devices can easily be misplaced or fall out.

One solution is to use clip-on mechanisms attached to the side of a device to couple the electronic device to a belt or other article of clothing. However, clip-on mechanisms, when integral with the device, make the device bulky.

Accordingly, a new non-bulky device is needed to enable the coupling of an electronic device to an object.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention provide an accessory for an electronic device, such as a cell phone, Personal Data Assistant (PDA), etc. In an embodiment, the accessory has a curvilinear fixed portion and a similarly shaped moveable portion, which together form a coupling mechanism for attachment/detachment to/from a bearer's clothing or accessories (such as purse and backpack). The fixed portion can he adapted as an antenna for the electronic device. Embodiments are non-bulky, and combine the functions of an antenna and a detachable coupling device.

In an embodiment, the accessory is mounted on one side of an electronic device where the external antenna is generally located, and can be manufactured as an integral part of the electronic device's housing, screw mounted, frictionally mounted, pivotally mounted, adhesively mounted, or mounted via other techniques to the electronic device housing. In an embodiment a fixed portion mounted on the location where the antenna is generally mounted and a moveable portion is moveably coupled to the fixed portion. Together, the fixed portion and the moveable portion form an arc bridging from the general vicinity of one corner of the electronic device to the general vicinity of a different corner of the electronic device. The fixed portion can be adapted to be an antenna for the electronic device and electrically coupled to the electronic circuitry of the electronic device.

In an embodiment, the moveable portion is retractable into (or over, in a different embodiment) the fixed portion, and exposes a break in the bridged arc when retracted for coupling to a bearer's clothing/accessories. In this embodiment, the moveable portion is biased to close the break to secure the coupling of the electronic device to a bearer's clothing/accessories. In a different embodiment, the moveable portion retracts into the electronic device housing to expose the break, and is biased to close the break. The moveable portion can have a lever for pushing it to the retracted position. When a lever is not employed in the design of the moveable portion, the moveable portion can also be frictionally pushed by a user's finger into the retracted position.

In another embodiment, the moveable portion is pivotally mounted on the vicinity of a corner of the electronic device different from the corner where the fixed portion is mounted. The moveable portion is biased so that the free end meets the free end of the fixed portion to form the bridged arc in an approximately semicircular shape. The user can push on the moveable portion to expose a break in the bridged arc for coupling the electronic device to the bearer's clothing/accessories, or to decouple the electronic device from the bearer's clothing/accessories.

Together, the fixed portion and the moveable portion defines a space approximately semicircular in shape, ranging in size from a sufficiently large space for a bear's finger to thread through, to a smaller space in other embodiments for coupling to a belt loop or a key ring.

In other embodiments, the bridged arc antenna can have an approximately triangular shape with one side of the electronic device forming a triangle. The other two sides of the triangle are formed by, secondly, the fixed portion of the bridged arc antenna and, thirdly, the moveable portion. The moveable portion is pivotally mounted and is biased to form a closed triangle with the fixed portion and the electronic device housing. In other embodiments, the bridged arc antenna can have an approximately rectangular shape. The fixed portion can be two-sided and the moveable portion one-sided. Or, the fixed portion is one-sided and the moveable portion is two-sided. In another embodiment, the bridged arc antenna can have an approximately trapezoidal shape.

The material for construction can be any combination of the modern hi-tech materials, including injection molded plastic, conductive elements, light weight metals, and decorative metals. Other materials can also be used for construction.

This invention has the utilities of enabling one or more of the following: 1. a more secure grip/hold by the bearer with a finger through the bridged arc antenna, 2. a mechanism integrated with the electronic device for easy attachment/detachment from the bearer's clothing or accessories, 3. an antenna with a pleasing curvilinear shape, and 4. twirling of the device by the bearer when the bridged arc antenna (for large size embodiments) is hooked around the bearer's finger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device having a bridged arc antenna ring;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device having a retractable bridged arc antenna;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device having a retractable bridged arc antenna according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device having a bridged arc antenna according to another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device having a trapezoidal bridged arc antenna.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The following description is provided to enable any person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles, features and teachings disclosed herein.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device 100 having a ring comprising a fixed portion 110 and moveable portion 130. The fixed portion is coupled to an electronics housing 120, as is the moveable portion 130, which is retractable into the electronics housing 120. The moveable portion 130 and the fixed portion, in one embodiment, are half rings that when closed form a substantially closed ring. The moveable portion 130 is biased to a closed position (e.g., via spring loading) The moveable portion 130 and the fixed portion 110 can be of equal length or of different lengths.

The electronics housing 120 can include a radio, GPS device, mobile phone, PDA or other device requiring an antenna. The antenna can be located within the electronics housing 120 or integral with the ring (e.g., the ring may include an antenna embedded therein).

The ring can be located where an external antenna would normally be coupled to the electronics housing 120, such as in the upper right or left hand corner of the electronics housing 120. The ring is approximately circular in shape with an inner diameter of about 0.5 inches to about 1 inch. In one embodiment, the ring has an inner diameter large enough to loop around a bearer's index finger. The ring can form an antenna or have an antenna within the ring. In an embodiment in which the antenna is embedded within the ring, the antenna can have a length approximating the circumference of the ring (e.g., to form a loop antenna) or a length less than the circumference of the ring. The antenna is coupled to circuitry within the electronics housing 120. The antenna can be embedded in the fixed portion 110, the moveable portion 130, or both.

The ring can be made from one or more materials, such as injection molded plastic, lightweight metals, and/or decorative metals, etc. to form a rigid structure. Accordingly, the ring enables the device 100 to be hooked onto the bearer's clothing (such as belt loops and pockets), or straps/rings (such as those of a shoulder bag and backpacks). The device 100 also affords the bearer a more secure grip with a finger through the ring shaped structure of embodiments of the invention. The ring also enables the bearer to twirl the device 100 around the bearer's finger.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device 200 having a retractable clasp formed by a fixed portion 210 and a moveable portion 230. The fixed portion 210 is fixedly coupled to the electronics housing 120 at a first position (e.g., a corner). The moveable portion 230 is retractable over the fixed portion 210 but it biased to a closed non-retracted position via spring loading or other mechanism. When the clasp is in a closed position, the moveable portion 230 can contact or be adjacent to a second position of the electronics housing 120 (e.g., a second corner). The clasp, when closed, in an embodiment, forms an approximately oval (egg) shape in combination with the electronics housing 120.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device 300 having a retractable clasp according to another embodiment of the invention. The clasp of the device 300 includes a fixed portion 310 and a moveable portion 330. The clasp of device 300 is substantially similar to the clasp of the device 200 except that the moveable portion 330 retracts into the fixed portion 310 instead of retracting over the fixed portion 210.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device 400 having a clasp according to another embodiment of the invention. The clasp of the device 400 is formed via a fixed portion 410 and a moveable portion 430. The fixed portion 410 is coupled to the electronics housing 120 at a first point (e.g., corner) while the moveable portion 430 is pivotally mounted to the housing 120 at a second point (e.g., second corner). The moveable portion 430 is biased into a closed position (e.g., spring loaded). When in a closed position, the clasp of the device 400 forms an approximately oval (egg) shape with the housing 120. An antenna 440 is embedded within the fixed portion 410

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device 500 having a trapezoidal clasp comprising a fixed portion 510 and a moveable portion 530. The fixed portion 510 forms two sides of the trapezoid and is mounted at one point (e.g., corner) of the electronics housing 120. The moveable portion 530 forms one size of the trapezoid and is pivotally mounted to a second point (e.g., second corner) of the electronics housing 120. In an embodiment, the moveable portion 530 can comprise two sides of the trapezoid while the fixed portion 510 forms one side. The moveable portion 530 is biased to a closed position (e.g., spring loaded).

The foregoing description of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention is by way of example only, and other variations and modifications of the above-described embodiments and methods are possible in light of the foregoing teaching. For example, each clasp or section thereof can have a antenna embedded therein. Further, components of this invention may be implemented using a programmed general purpose digital computer, using application specific integrated circuits, or using a network of interconnected conventional components and circuits. Connections may be wired, wireless, modem, etc. The embodiments described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting. The present invention is limited only by the following claims. 

1. An electronic device, comprising: an electronics housing; a fixed portion coupled to the electronics housing; and a moveable portion retractably coupled to the fixed portion and adapted for detachable coupling to an object to thereby couple the electronic device to the object.
 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the fixed portion and the moveable portion, when in a closed position, form an approximately oval shape with the electronics housing.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the fixed portion and the moveable portion, when in a closed position, form an arc.
 4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moveable portion is retractable over the fixed portion.
 5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moveable portion is retractable into the fixed portion.
 6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moveable portion has a lever for actuation of the retractable moveable portion.
 7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the fixed portion has an antenna embedded therein coupled to electronics in the electronics housing.
 8. An electronic device, comprising: an electronics housing; a fixed portion coupled to the electronics housing at a first point; a moveable portion moveably coupled to the electronics housing at a second point and adapted for detachable coupling to an object to thereby couple the electronic device to the object.
 9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the moveable portion is adapted for retracting into the electronics housing.
 10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the moveable portion, when in a closed position, and the fixed portion form an approximately ring shape in conjunction with the electronics housing.
 11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the moveable portion, when in a closed position, and the fixed portion form an approximately half circular shape in conjunction with the electronics housing.
 12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the moveable portion has a lever for ease of actuation of the moveable portion.
 13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the fixed portion and the moveable portion has an antenna embedded therein, wherein the antenna is coupled to electronics in the electronics housing.
 14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the moveable portion is adapted for pivoting.
 15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the moveable portion, when in a closed position, and the fixed portion form an arc.
 16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the moveable portion, when in a closed position, and the fixed portion form an approximately triangular shape in conjunction with the electronics housing.
 17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the fixed portion and the moveable portion, when in a closed position, form an approximately trapezoidal shape in conjunction with the electronics housing.
 18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the fixed portion forms at least two sides of a trapezoid and the moveable portion forms at least one side of a trapezoid.
 19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the fixed portion forms at least one side of a trapezoid and the moveable portion forms at least two sides of a trapezoid. 